Cassarah #2
Roulf tossed back his head and laughed. “Oh God, and you think the Lost King is full of himself. What if I just wanted one last chance to give the old man a good pounding? I couldn’t have the queen under my thumb any longer, but I could top a king with a wink and a smile.
He was so easy to manipulate, desperate to feed his baser needs.
That, and it told me you hadn’t had a chance to fill him in on things.
Unsurprising, since you flew to Norden last night. Tell me, how are your parents?”
Zan came out of nowhere and socked the man right in the jaw, not once but twice. “You will not speak of such things!” he roared. “Clearly, you know they’re dead, and if you would like to die with any dignity, then I suggest you keep those comments to yourself.”
Blood dripped from Roulf’s split lip and tongue.
Rearing his head back, Roulf spat a wad of saliva and blood at Zan.
Ezzu screeched from her place on his shoulder and shot out a stream of fire, blocking it.
Hissing, she flapped her wings in anger almost as if she wished to attack him, yet knew Zan wouldn’t like it.
“You think I’m scared of a flying rat?” Roulf snapped but flinched when Ezzu looked like she might launch off Zan’s shoulder.
“My money is always on the pissed-off female,” Paxton whispered loudly. “Hell hath no fury like a pissed-off woman or dragon. Trust me, I know.”
Izel stepped up behind Roulf and met my gaze as if asking permission.
I nodded, knowing that he would be able to put the man in a more susceptible state.
Izel placed both hands on either side of Roulf’s head over his temples and closed his eyes.
Surprising me, Gavin also placed a hand on the traitor’s shoulder.
I could feel the magic flowing out of them as they used their Birthrights to get him to talk.
Gavin could make people feel comfortable with him, allowing them to share more than they would normally. I’d experienced it myself when he wasn’t even trying. It came on you so softly you didn’t even notice you were doing it right away. Izel opened his eyes to look at me and nodded.
“Roulf, are you truly a messenger for the Lost King?” I wanted to start with something easy.
“Here, I thought you were supposed to be the smart one out of the bunch, but if you’re going to waste their efforts by asking such a dumb question, I’m not so sure,” he answered, his tone flippant and cruel.
It was clear he no longer had a shield up against sharing how he really felt about things. “Very well, then let’s move on to something harder. What has the Lost King hidden here?”
Roulf struggled against Izel and Gavin’s hold, trying to fight them off, but he was at a disadvantage.
“Fuck you. Even if you find it, you won’t know what to do with it. The beauty of it all is that what he smuggled into hiding is so powerful it will keep him alive forever, but everyone will overlook it.”
“Where did you hide it?” I pressed.
Roulf gritted his teeth, fighting the urge to answer, but my men’s power was too strong.
With our bond and the bond with their dragons, they were becoming more powerful as they used their Birthright.
I didn’t know if Roulf had one, but regardless of that, he certainly had a strong mind to fight them off.
Taking a step forward, I shoved some of my own magic into him, bolstering the other two. “Where. Did. You. Hide. It?”
A scream burst from his lips as his body started to smoke like it was being burned from the inside out. “Oh God, don’t let me die this way, please! If you promise to kill me the second I tell you, I’ll give you the truth. Don’t let him do this to me!”
“You have my vow as the Dragon Queen that I will end your life if you are truthful,” I agreed.
Izel and Gavin withdrew from the man as he sobbed, his tears scalding his cheeks as they trailed down his face. “At the lake house the queen visits, there is a mausoleum with a secret room. That’s where it’s hidden.”
“What is it?” I asked as I called a dagger into my hand. “Just this last bit of knowledge, and I will plunge this magical dagger into your heart.”
Roulf thrashed and screamed until his voice went hoarse, kicking out his legs as his skin started to blister.
“Dragon heart… it’s his dragon’s heart. He removed it and kept it sealed in a metal box no one can touch.
If they do, they’ll die.” He wept as he tried to breathe through the pain of being burned alive from the inside out.
“Thank you,” I whispered before doing as I promised.
Roulf sagged, and on his dying breath, I heard him whisper one last thing, “Your father didn’t tell…”
I released my hold on the dagger, and it disappeared as I stumbled back.
Abbott caught me and held me tightly against him as the reality of what I’d just done hit me.
I’d let him suffer just so I could get the answers I needed.
How could I have done that? It was clear how much he was suffering, and I let it go on to drag out the answer.
How am I any better than the Lost King who was torturing him to keep him from speaking?
My body shook, warning me that my legs were going to give out, but I couldn’t say anything. Abbott scooped me up and carried me out of the bathing chamber, only to be confronted by King Thomas.
“What’s happened?”